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Beyond the medical professionalism, world-class facilities and cost-saving potential, you may still be thinking why you should choose Bangkok. Several other locales around the globe offer similar kinds of care at similarly competitive prices - Eastern Europe and India being the main ones. So, what sets Bangkok apart from the competition? The answer, frankly, is that from the sunshine to the five-star service and easily attainable solitude, there are many small features of the enchanting and magical variety that should help win you over.

Thailand, for one, is renowned for its hospitality and courteousness (as expressed by the charming 'wai' greeting), and the medical practices in Bangkok are no exception. All have infused the local tradition for superior service and graciousness into their medical environment, with patients made to feel at home in unfamiliar surroundings. Helpful and attentive medical staff are always on hand. The needs of different cultures are also of the utmost importance, with foreign-language speaking staff available, and hospitals willing to cater to specific dietary requirements, whether it be Western, Halaal, Kosher, Japanese or vegetarian food. Many will even assist you, if required, in liaising with your embassy, and three of Bangkok's leading hospitals for foreigners have recently set up in-house visa extension facilities to help those who have to overstay their visas while undergoing medical treatment. So, thats the customer service box ticked off then.

This focus on hospitality is complemented by the surroundings you'll find yourself in. The cold, bright and sterile environments you'd usually associate with a hospital are nowhere to be found in Bangkok's private hospitals. In fact, they look a lot more like luxury hotels - plush, private and comfortable. And, if your treatment doesn't require you to stay overnight, many will help you find preferential room rates at hotels nearby. Another advantage is being able to shop around for special promotional deals or creative health care packages. You'll soon discover that private hospitals here have cottoned on to the importance of branding, and become almost as adept at packaging and marketing their services as they are at performing them. For example, the Samitivej Hospital now offers an appealing 'birth package' which includes candelit dinner at the hospital's own upmarket restaurant, L'Avenue, your own obstetrician and prenatal classes. Others offer competitively priced check-ups with names like the 'executive plus program', while others have been known to offer imaginatively designed packages that include sight-seeing tours.

And, while a spot of retail therapy in Bangkok's many shops, markets and malls may go some way to helping you recover, isn't it true that what most of us really crave after surgery is a little peace, quiet and solitude? If the answers yes, then Thailand is the perfect place for you. From quiet hill spa retreats offering generous servings of fresh mountain air, to remote beach hideaways where you can enjoy sun, sea and sand, Thailand offers a myriad of possibilities for you to recuperate in tranquility and anonymity.

Last, but by no means least, the country's ancient tradition in herbal medicines and holistic treatments mean that on top of receiving medical care for your existing ailments, it's also the perfect place to indulge in therapies that can aid you in your recovery. The art of Thai massage and meditation are long believed to have healing properties, and many hospitals practicing modern medicine have taken note by integrating the holistic approach into their ways of doing things. This bold blending of the new and old - the best in 21st century treatment and traditional healing techniques - makes Thailand the ideal one-stop shop to leave you healthy, looking good and feeling great.

Now find out the answer to many peoples' question when considering medical care in Bangkok - is it safe? - or about Thailand's push to become a health tourist hub.

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